Statuette
late 17th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This terracotta statuette representing a leather beater was made by the Netherlandish sculptor Pieter Xavery. Books of engravings of everyday occupations were popular in Holland in the second half of the 17th century, and the source for this composition was probably one of these prints.
Pieter Xavery (b. ca. 1647, active 1667-74) was born in Antwerp and enrolled in Leiden University as a student in 1670 and signed sculptures there in the following four years. It is possible that he went to Leiden as an assistant of Rombout Verhulst. Xavery worked principally in terracotta and specialised in genre figures with strong elements of caricature. His relationship with Jean Baptiste Xavery (1697-1742), a more well-knoen sculptor of the next generation is unknown.
Pieter Xavery (b. ca. 1647, active 1667-74) was born in Antwerp and enrolled in Leiden University as a student in 1670 and signed sculptures there in the following four years. It is possible that he went to Leiden as an assistant of Rombout Verhulst. Xavery worked principally in terracotta and specialised in genre figures with strong elements of caricature. His relationship with Jean Baptiste Xavery (1697-1742), a more well-knoen sculptor of the next generation is unknown.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Statuette, leather-beater; Terracotta. Netherlandish 17th century. By Pieter Xavery. |
| Physical description | Statuette in terracotta of a bearded man with long hair, in hat and long course garment stands at a tub. In his left hand he holds a piece of leather which lies on a large pottery vessel resting on its side on the tub, while in his right hand he holds a sort of cup. At the side is the tub stands a square container. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | "P. XAVERY" |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This terracotta statuette representing a leather beater was made by the Netherlandish sculptor Pieter Xavery. Books of engravings of everyday occupations were popular in Holland in the second half of the 17th century, and the source for this composition was probably one of these prints. Pieter Xavery (b. ca. 1647, active 1667-74) was born in Antwerp and enrolled in Leiden University as a student in 1670 and signed sculptures there in the following four years. It is possible that he went to Leiden as an assistant of Rombout Verhulst. Xavery worked principally in terracotta and specialised in genre figures with strong elements of caricature. His relationship with Jean Baptiste Xavery (1697-1742), a more well-knoen sculptor of the next generation is unknown. |
| Bibliographic reference | Brown, Christopher and Joyce Plesters, Art in 17th century Holland, London: the National Gallery, 1976. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.37-1947 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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